Excerpts from Jim Conrad's
Naturalist Newsletter

from the January 6, 2006 Newsletter Written at Hacienda San Juan Lizarraga one kilometer east of Telchac Pueblo, Yucatán, MÉXICO and issued from Hotel Reef Yucatan 13 kms to the north, on the coast
NOTES ON YUCATAN HISTORY
During my talks with guests at Hotel Reef, despite my own inadequate background in history, I feel obligated to point out that certain historical events in fairly recent times have taken place in the Yucatan that shouldn't be ignored. I encourage people to write down certain words and phrases so that when they return to their homes and computers they can use a search engine to look up more information on the matter. Here are the main keywords I mention, given here in the hope you will "look them up on the Internet":

CASTE WAR: After centuries of abuse by colonizing Europeans, from 1847 to 1853 the Yucatan's Maya Indians rebelled, almost succeeding in driving all Europeans, mainly Spaniards, from the peninsula. During the conflict about half of the Yucatan's 500,000 or so population was dislocated or killed. The rebellion might have succeeded had not the Indians decided, right before overrunning the last two European holdouts of Mérida and Campeche, to return to their rural homes to plant the season's corn.

CRISTEROS: Early in the 20th century Mexico's federal and state governments did what they could to rid themselves of the pernicious effects of religion. Such draconian and ill-conceived measures were employed, however, that many religious people, especially the Indians, waged war against the armies sent to uphold the laws. These conservative, religious fighters were known as the Cristeros and, of course, today religion, especially Catholicism, exercises a very strong influence in Mexico.

FELIPE CARRILLO PUERTO: During the 1910s and 1920s this man, elected governor of the Yucatan, championed socialism of the Russian Revolution kind. Seizing large plantations he redistributed land to poor families and introduced many social reforms protecting and advancing rights of the underclass. He promoted women's rights and a popular education. Eventually right wing forces seized power, chased Felipe Carrillo Puerto down, and killed him in Mérida without a proper trial. Today in the Yucatan he is revered by some, reviled by others.